Slipper, sandal, and the like



Feb. 9, 1937. o. s. DORR SLIPPER, SANDAL, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 17, 1935 INVENTOR. oscma 5. D9

BY p

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 193? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIPPER, SANDAL, AND THE LIKE Application August 17, 1935, Serial No. 36,613

11 Claims.

This invention relates to slippers and more particularly to the type of slippers generally known as mules and also to sandals and shoes.

Since the mule type of slippers, although easy to put on, have no heel portion to engage theheel of the wearer, they therefore, become easily displaced or loose and slide off the foot causing much discomfort and annoyance.

. On the other hand; slippers or sandals having heel-engaging portions are disadvantageous be cause unless the foot is positioned properly within the heel-cup, these portions are soon stepped on, crumpled, wrinkled and injured beyond comfortable use and possessing all the faults of the mule- It is an object of this invention to provide a sandal or slipper which can be readily and easily placed on the foot and at the same time retained firmly and in proper position thereon.

It is another object of this invention to provide in an article of footwear having a sole, a heel gripping device adapted to engage the hinder part of the foot, when in operable position, and to lie substantially fiat against the sole when the foot is disengaged therefrom and which irrespective of the position in which the sole is held will remain in a lay-flat position against the sole.

It is another object of this invention to provide a slipper or sandal with heel-gripping or heelengaging means which will adjust itself to varying types and sizes of heels of human feet.

It is another object of this invention to provide in an article of footwear having a sole, a heel-engaging device attached to the sole and swingable with relation thereto, said device being adapted to engage the hinder part of the foot, when in operable position, and to swing substantially against the sole when the foot is disengaged. therefrom, thus facilitating packing and carrying of same.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a. slipper having heel-gripping and supporting means which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which will be efficient and in no way impair the comfort and pleasure of the wearer.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a slipper or sandal with a spring heelgripping device which will exert forward engaging pressure, thus positioning the foot without the use of instep straps.

The invention will best be understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawing shows practical forms of the invention, the latter is not confined. to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a slipper incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a foot showing the slipper or sandal with heel grip in place.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of a heel grip device.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another modified form of a heel grip means. 7

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another modified form.

Fig. 6 is a part sectional view through a heel embodying the heel means illustrated in Fig. 3.

As an example of the application of the invention, there is here disclosed an embodiment thereof in a slipper.

The conventional mule slipper I0 may consist generally of a toe-hold II and a sole or bottom I2. Other sandals or slippers have heel-cups or straps and instep straps to keep them in place.

A form of the invention provides a slipper or sandal with a heel-gripping or heel-engaging device D shown as utilizing a spring or yieldable member I3 which may be bent into a somewhat U-shape forming a cross member I 4 and laterally extending substantially rigid arms I5, I5 disposed on opposite sides of the heel l2 of the slipper or sandal. The cross member I 4 may be bent to form a projection I4 to facilitate the anchoring and positioning of it by any suitable means such as for instance, a staple I6 and the projection I4 in cooperation with staple I6 serves to return the device. to lay-flat condition when the torsion put into the arms I4 is eliminated. The arms I5, I5 may be arranged and supported in any suitable manner other than by means of the member I4.

A band or span- I1; of any suitable material but preferably flexible and yieldable as of elastic, is connected to or supported by the arms l5, I5 by any suitable means such as stitches I8. The span I! when made of elastic material adjusts itself to the varying types and sizes of heels and also possesses frictional properties when in operable position in contact with the heel.

In operation, the lateral arms, I5, I5 of the heel-gripping device which are normally in substantially fiat or horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1 are bent back or in a substantially vertical position the cross member l4 being held against turning by staple I6, and the toes inserted into the toe retaining .portion of the slipper or sandal as shown in Fig. 2. The downward and forward pressure of the heelrgripping device due to its spring or yieldable qualities, causes the heel band or span I1 to'grippingly engage the heel or hinder part of the foot, thus maintaining the slipper or sandal in place on the foot.

To remove the slipper or sandal it is only necessary to pull or swing back the gripping device and slide the foot out of the toe retaining means or merely draw the slipper or sandal forward thus causing the device to bend backwards until the foot is free and the device assumes its substantially fiat or horizontal position against the bottom or sole ID of the footwear.

The device is of course so placed in the slipper or sandal as to cause no discomfort to the wearer. Usually, it will be placed beneath the inner sole and protected in such manner, as not to cause any injury. However, the heelgripping device may constitute a separate unit attachable to the article of footwear for the purpose intended.

The invention may embody or employ any suitable device or material having yieldable, torsional or spring properties to produce the result contemplated.

Fig. 1, depicts the fiat sole type slipper or sandal with the device embodying the invention. However, it may be employed in the heel type also, as for example, by providing a recess 24 in the heel and using the device with a key slot 2! in its cross member l4 and securing it to one end of a coil spring 22 as at 26 and the other end anchored within the recess as at 25. (Figs. 3 and 6.) There are many other ways to produce the results herein contemplated and I do not'wish to be limited just to that described above. 7

Fig. 4, shows the device with a wire having turns 28 and 29 to provide greater torsional strength and spring.

In Fig. 5, the corners 3B and 3| are bent to form loops 32 and to also increase torsional and spring strength.

The torsion put into the arms [4 (and springs 28 and 32 in Figs. 4 and by the twisting to elevated position causes the arms l5 to turn to lay-flat condition when the elevating force is removed.

Of course it is understood that a spring having a single, centrally located armor member rather than one having two laterally disposed arms may be employed at the heel point to accomplish a similar result.

The slipper or sandal may be of any suitable material such as leather, felt, or canvas, etc. for home use and rubber, wood, cork, etc. for beach wear.

The downward and forward pull or urge of the device will cause it to lie substantially flat on the article on which it is used, thus facilitating packing, storing and carrying around. This device is. adapted for use on the so-called Pullman slippers which have flexible soles to allow them to be confined or folded into very small space and thus conveniently carried.

In lieu of toe-cap H, any other toe holding means may be employed such as straps, cords, etc.

The device employed for gripping engagement of the device D with the rear part of the heel of the wearer, may be made up of one or more parts and of any suitable material or materials and may assume any desired shape or design. One of the features amongst others of the invention is the incorporation in the device of an instrumentality adapted to efficiently hold the heel of the wearer to retain the sole to the foot.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated in theinvention embodied in some of ,its

to these particular forms of structure and that 7 it may be modified in many respects without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention as herein defined and claimed.

I wish it further understood that the terms which 'I have employed herein are used in a descriptive rather than in a limitating sense, except however, for such limitations that may be imposed by the state of the prior art.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-'

'1. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device comprising a pair of spaced-apart swingable arms attached to said bottom and having an element extending betweenthe free ends of said arms, said element being engageable with the hinder part of the foot when the device is in upward operable position, said element being adapted to be swung forward substantially flat against the bottom when not in use.

2. Inlan article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device comprising a substantially U-shaped member attached to said bottom with the base of the U across the bottom and the arms of the U forwardly urged, and'a flexible cross-element carried by the free ends of the arms of said member for engagement with the hinder part of the foot.

3. In an article of footwear having a sole, a spring actuated arm on each side of the sole, and a span member extending between said arms,

said arms and span being kept normally substantially in the same plane with the sole and being adapted to be elevated against the action of the spring to engage a heel of a wearers foot. I

4. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a swingable heel engaging device comprising a substantially U-shaped member attached to said bottom with the base of the U across the bottom,

and a cross element carried by the free ends of the arms of said member for engagement with the hinder part of a foot.

5. In an article of footwear having a bottom,

a. heel-engaging device comprising a pair of spaced-apart swingable arms attached to said bottom and having an element extending between said arms, said element being engageable with the hinder part of a foot when the device is in upward operable position, said element being adapted to be swung forward substantially flat against the bottom when not in use.

6. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device swingably attached to said bottom and comprising a pair of arms, and an element joining said arms, said element being engageable with a hinder part of the foot when the device is in upward operable position, said element being adapted to be swung forward substantially flat against the bottom when not in use.

7. In an article of footwear having a sole, a 5

spring actuated heel-engaging device having an arm on each side of the sole, and a span member extending between said arms, said arms and span being kept normally substantially in the same plane with the sole and being adapted to be elevated against the action of the spring to engage the heel of a wearers foot.

8. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device swingably attached to said bottom, said device comprising a member having a pair of spaced-apart arms, and having an element between said arms, means to urge said element into engagement with the hinder part of a foot when the device is in upward 0perable position, said element being adapted to be swung forwardly and to lie normally substantially fiat against the bottom when not in use.

9. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device comprising a member swingably attached to said bottom and having an element attached to the bottom only through said member, means to urge said element into yieldable engagement with the hinder part of a foot when the device is in upward operable position, said means acting to swing the device forwardly and normally to cause the element to lie substantially fiat against the bottom, when not in use.

10. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a spring-actuated member, an element attached to the bottom only through said member, said member and element being kept normally substantially in the same plane as the sole and adapted to be elevated against the action of the spring to engage the heel of the wearers foot.

11. In an article of footwear having a bottom, a heel-engaging device comprising a spring-actuated member swingably attached to said bottom and having an element extending across the top thereof and attached to the bottom only through said member, said element being engageable with the hinder part of a foot when the device is in upward operable position, said element being urged to lie substantially flat against the bottom when not in use.

OSCAR S. DORR. 

